This invention relates to an earphone jack for tape recorders which includes a muting switch and an earphone/speaker changeover switch and is adapted to operate the muting switch in interlock with a switching operation between an earphone and a speaker.
Generally, an earphone jack which renders a muting switch and earphone/speaker changeover switch directly ON when an earphone plug is inserted is known. It is desired that after the earphone/speaker changeover switch is turned ON, i.e. a connection to a reproducing amplifier is switched from a speaker to an earphone, the muting switch be operated so as to prevent "howling". In such a conventional earphone jack having both of the switches driven by the plug, it is difficult to positively cause operation of both of the switches with such a timing to meet the above-mentioned requirement. Furthermore, "howling" tends to be developed due to some error in manufacture as well as to deformation or fatigue of the switch under use for a long time.